9th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge – Day 3 » PACA’s economic and political newsletter
Hydrogen: opens up the field of possibilities.
Friday July 8, 2022. On this third day, endurance events and speed records put on a show at sea while on land, a panel of specialists came to distill their knowledge during the 3e edition of the Round Table of the Monaco Hydrogen Working Group entitled “Unlocking the barriers of hydrogen in the maritime sector: port regulations & economic viability of projects” organized with the Mission for Energy Transition Monaco, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Yacht Club of Monaco.
Today, it was the turn of Pierre Casiraghi, vice-president of the YCM, emeritus navigator and founder of the Malizia team, to go with the family to the heart of the Village before boarding a Vita Yacht ” More than 100 years ago, the first motorboat races took place in Monaco. I think it’s important to have an event where the latest generation of eco-responsible boats and new propulsions can be developed and tested. Thanks to the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, we can draw attention to this subject: people from all over the world are present to compare their performance with that of other teams. This gives a boost to the evolution of the sector but also brings innovations which could subsequently be marketed. »
Energy sobriety as a watchword
About fifteen speakers came to discuss the state of the hydrogen sector, its regulations and its financing on the occasion of this 3e round table which private and public actor allies notes Annabelle Jaeger Seydoux, Director of the Mission for Energy Transition Monaco, opening the meeting.
The market is a field that remains to be exploited ” Maritime transport accounts for 2 to 3% of CO2 emissions worldwide. Several paths are recommended to solve the decarbonization of maritime transport » emphasizes Anne-Marie Perez, Managing Director of the Capenergies cluster. ” We have solutions based on hydrogen with several vectors: gaseous hydrogen, e-methane, methanol in liquid form or even ammonia (…). Europe has also recently assumed the criteria for the correlation between the production of carbon-free electricity and hydrogen. “It is therefore rather a step in the right direction for the production of carbon-free hydrogen since the projects will be developed more quickly and more easily. On the other hand, it is necessary to improve the regulations in the ports which are not really present. »
And with regard to the deployment of H2 projects, discussions are going well in the construction of business models.
” Monaco and its neighboring agglomerations are among the destinations that could see the installation of hydrogen stations “Concedes Adrien Zanoto, General Manager of Hydrogen Infrastructure at Hype.
Tracks that can become concrete in view of the increasingly growing demand. ” 800 shipowners are currently waiting to switch to hydrogen solutions. What limits the final signing of the order is the ability to obtain supplies” says Jérémie Lagarrigue, CEO of EODev. The issue of infrastructure is therefore really crucial. For all of this to make sense, there must be an infrastructure that allows this ecosystem to be developed, particularly in terms of delivery. ” On had proposed a floating station and soon we will announce a hydrogen frame that will be able to store hydrogen at nearly 700 bar. With this device, we will be able to come and connect our generators and therefore produce electricity and we will also be able to recharge hydrogen mobility.” prosecute the one who is also the president of the jury of this 9e Monaco Energy Boat Challenge.
If the lights seem to be green, it is nevertheless necessary to know reason to keep ” There are many technologies that already exist and are on the market, but now we have to move on to the industrialization phase. says Maud Augeai, Development Manager France, Lhyfe.
Knowing the maturity of financing for the deployment of H2 projects is also elementary. According to Ivan Pavlovic, executive director and specialist in energy transition at Natixis, the emerging business and financing models differ according to the territorial and global projects and the banks have a different reading according to the projects. ” Hydrogen is considered, and rightly so, as a pillar of the energy transition, but it still remains a sector largely in a maturing phase, particularly at the regional level. Today, the stakes are twofold: it is necessary to promote the dissemination of uses in the first susceptible segments of the economy, but also to reduce costs, which are still too high. »
The second part, dedicated to concrete cases and feedback, was however able to highlight the advanced practices implemented in other countries, such as for the decarbonization of the port of Barcelona, presented by Marc Rechter, CEO of Resilient Group, or the Norwegian example. This Scandinavian country is a leader in supporting the development of technologies, solutions such as hydrogen ecosystems, thanks to a genuine financial contribution policy supported by the government. Jan-Olaf Willums, speaking on behalf of the Clean Marinetech association, which brings together dozens of players in all maritime sectors, insisted on the proposed approach: “At home in Norway, we first work together to improve solutions, skills, participate financially in the development of projects, often 50-50 with the government. The competition only comes after…” An example that clearly echoes the conclusions of the conference day the day before.
Full 3e Hydrogen Round Table to be found on:
https://webtv.monacocapitalyachting.com/energy-boat-challenge/conference/
They played leading roles at sea
It was under the encouragement of the teams that each pilot set off on the race course for the queen events of the meeting. Gathered on the Lucciana pier with a direct view of the course, the public widely applauded the feats achieved before their eyes. While the Solar and the Energy Class jostled on a wet course in the Bay of Monaco as part of an endurance race, the Open Seas cut through the waves on a 16 nautical mile course (Monaco-Vintimille-Monaco) on the occasion of a successful speed test by the English of VitaLionfollowed by Vita Seal then Xshore.
But whatever the setting, the objective was the same: adjust the autonomy of his mount to be able to finish… and first if possible. In this game, the Italians ofMonoboatholders of the title in Energy Class, just won the bet with 23 laps, just ahead of the Dubaiots of Sailing Tigersthen the French Capgemini Engineering.
In Solar Class, the Dutch monopolize the podium of this endurance race with an undisputed victory of Sunflare Solar Team (victorious in the general classification of the category in 2021). They are followed by Twente Solar Boat then Van Hall Larenstein.
Home stretch
Tomorrow last lap for the 38 teams and last opportunity to present their project for the 36 exhibitors. From 10:00 a.m. Solar and Energy Class will meet on the water for the slalom race. The boats will be timed on a defined course before setting off two by two. Objective: to determine which one is the most manageable and the fastest. At the same time, the Open Seas will carry out endurance tests where they will sail for as long as possible to ensure the energy capacities of the units.
From 2:00 p.m., the long-awaited Championship Race will take place in the YCM Marina: two by two after a start given at the foot of the Yacht Club de Monaco, the competitors (by class) will compete with an order of passage which will have been determined according to the results of Thursday’s qualifying lessons. Suspense and great fights in perspective!
A little later in the day, all the competitors will put on their best outfit to attend the prize giving ceremony during which five prizes will be awarded:
- Innovation Award by Credit Suisse, for the most significant inventiveness and originality.
- The Best Tech Talk in the transmission of knowledge and innovative development.
- The New Generation Prize which will reward the team whose project is not only the most feasible but which brings something new to the.
- The Eco-conception Prize intended for the project whose ecological impact is considered as a whole.
- The Communication Prize nominated by the Town Hall of Monaco to highlight the best communication strategy that has enhanced a project.
- And finally the Coup de Coeur of the exhibition for the exhibitor whose project received all the votes of the jury.
A beautiful program not to be missed. From 10 a.m., the Village and the Paddocks open new doors before the final curtain.